Question: First consider the expression for: Take the product of $-5$ and $x$ and add $-1$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $3$ and the product of $-7$ and that expression.
Explanation: Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $-5$ and $x$ $-5 \times x = \color{orange}{-5x}$ What does adding $-1$ to $-5x$ do? $-5x$ $ - 1$ What is the quantity of $-7$ times that expression $-7 \times (-5x - 1) = \color{orange}{-7(-5x-1)}$ What is the sum of $3$ and $\color{orange}{-7(-5x-1)}$ $-7(-5x-1)$ $ + 3$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $-7(-5x-1)+3$.